Made in America: Manufacturing jobs up slightly since 2011

“Made In America,” is a round-up of state and global manufacturing news.

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MANUFACTURING JOBS UP SLIGHTLY SINCE 2011, STILL DOWN 28% IN PAST 25 YEARS
Over the last 25 years, the number of jobs in manufacturing decreased 28%, from an average of 17.1 million in 1991 to 12.3 million in 2016. During the five-year period from 2011 to 2016, manufacturing jobs increased 4.8%, from 11.7 million to 12.3 million. Over that period, those industries with an increase in employment equal to or greater than 10% were miscellaneous nondurable goods (25.4%), transportation equipment (16.4%), wood products (13.7%), and furniture and related products (10%).

Among those manufacturing industries with a decrease in employment from 2011 to 2016, apparel had the largest decrease (12.8%) and was the only manufacturing industry with a decrease greater than 10%. Over the last 25 years, apparel had the largest decrease among all manufacturing industries with a decrease of 85%. Over that period, employment in textile mills decreased 76%.

DOLLAR GENERAL TO ADD 10,000 JOBS IN 2017 AT 1,000 NEW STORES, TWO STATE-OF-THE-ART DISTRIBUTION CENTERS
Dollar General announced Friday (Feb. 3) that it plans to create 10,000 new jobs in 2017 as the result of 1,000 planned new store openings and two new state-of-the-art distribution centers. The creation of these approximate 10,000 new jobs will be a roughly 9% overall increase to its workforce and mark the largest one-year employee increase through organic store and distribution center growth in the company’s 78-year history, company officials said. Since 2008, Dollar General workforce has grown from 72,000 to more than 130,000 anticipated employees by end of the 2017 fiscal year, Company CEO Todd Vasos said.

Dollar General said it plans to use its robust and best-in-class training programs to support the company’s commitment to one of its operating priorities of investing in employees as a competitive advantage. The company is expected to invest more than 1.5 million training hours in employees in 2017 to promote education and development throughout the year.

CATERPILLAR TO ESTABLISH NEW GLOBAL HEADQUARTERS IN CHICAGO
U.S. industrial and manufacturing giant Caterpillar Inc. recently announced it will locate a limited group of senior executives and support functions from its longtime headquarters in Peoria, Ill., to establish new global offices in the Chicago area later this year. “Since 2012, about two-thirds of Caterpillar’s sales and revenues have come from outside the United States. Locating our headquarters closer to a global transportation hub, such as Chicago, means we can meet with our global customers, dealers and employees more easily and frequently,” said Caterpillar’s Jim Umpleby, who took over as the company’s new CEO at the beginning of the year.

As a result of continuing challenging market conditions and the need to prioritize resources to focus on growth, Caterpillar said it will not build the previously announced headquarters complex in Peoria, Ill. The current headquarters building will continue to be used for Caterpillar offices. A limited number of senior executives will move into leased office space beginning in 2017. Once the new location is fully operational, Caterpillar expects about 300 employees to be based there, which includes some positions relocated from the Peoria area.